Gluten-Free Cornbread Dressing with Sausage, Cranberries, and Pecans Recipe
This easy, gluten-free Cornbread Dressing combines homemade cornbread cubes, savory Italian sausage, chewy dried cranberries, and crunchy pecans for a flavorful Southern Thanksgiving side dish. Baked to perfection, it offers a delightful twist on traditional dressing with herbs and spices enhancing every bite.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes (excluding cornbread preparation time)
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Cornbread
- 1 recipe cornbread, cubed into 1-inch cubes
Sausage Mixture
- 1 (1 pound) package hot or mild Italian sausage, casing removed if applicable
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon dried ground sage
- 1 teaspoon salt, more or less to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup roughly chopped pecans or pecan pieces
Binding Mixture
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Prepare Cornbread: Bake the cornbread in a 9×13 inch pan at least 24 hours prior to making the dressing. Allow it to cool, then cube into 1-inch pieces and leave uncovered to dry out a bit.
- Toast Cornbread Cubes: Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Spread cornbread cubes evenly on an unlined 9×13 inch rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring gently halfway through. Remove and set aside to cool.
- Preheat Oven for Baking Dressing: Increase oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Cook Sausage and Vegetables: Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add sausage, diced onion, chopped celery, and dried herbs and spices (rosemary, thyme, nutmeg, sage, salt, pepper). Cook until the sausage is fully cooked through and vegetables are tender, breaking up the sausage as you go.
- Add Cranberries and Pecans: Remove skillet from heat and stir in dried cranberries and chopped pecans. Set aside.
- Mix Binding Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the beaten egg, melted butter, and chicken broth until combined.
- Combine All Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the toasted cornbread cubes with the sausage mixture. Pour the egg and broth mixture over and gently fold everything together, being careful not to overmix; some cornbread cubes may break while others stay whole.
- Bake the Dressing: Transfer the mixture into the prepared 9×13 inch baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes or until warmed through.
- Serve: Remove from oven, let it cool slightly, then serve and enjoy your gluten-free Southern-style cornbread dressing!
Notes
- For best texture, bake the cornbread at least one day in advance and leave cubed pieces uncovered to dry slightly.
- You can use either hot or mild Italian sausage based on your spice preference.
- Adjust salt to taste as sausage and chicken broth can vary in sodium content.
- Freeze leftovers for up to 1 month and reheat in oven or microwave after thawing in the refrigerator.
- This recipe serves approximately 12 people as a side dish.
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